Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1887-05-07
Authorizations and DecephOns In
Food

l(tNtDllOll III bHt uliIOSl NulIfl vi lDl us
Is now being practiced upon the unsus-
pecting public; but that which strikes at
the very life of the people. which is the
most cowardlv and iiendi,h, is the excess
i've adulteraion of the common necessary
food commodities 1t il true that as fast
as those having the inspection OF food ar
ticles determine their lmpuriN, efforts are
made to inform consumers, but SO care
fully are these reports guarded that the
public are not properly protected; there
fore, not suspecting the danger living con
Gealed in The common articles OF food they
consume and are thus shameiully imposed
upon.
The desire to buy the cheapest is the
grand opportunity for those practcing
this despicable deception. The consumers
quality Of the article is not exactly as
good rs that of the similar article pur-
chased formerly. They notice the fact that
in cooking the old rule won't work and
that IA variation is needed to prodlce the
desired result; they put the extra sugar
into the tea or coffee they wonder at HE
weight of the biscuit and don't under
stand why the cake should tail so flat
But then the molaSseS was SO cheap aud
looked so nice SO many pounds OF sugar
could be bought Tor the dollar aud 1t
sparkled and was ms dry as
sand; SO great inducements came
with the tea and collce-whlch really did
appear ali right; the -four was SO white
and iinc-the patent brand you know, and
the saleratuS came in such handsome box
es-which would be very useful. that they
couldn't help buying and getting as
much for their money as possible. But
1t may be set down as an almost lniallible
rule that the cheapest is always the poor
est-"bankrupt stock and forced sales"
Notwithstanding. 1t is far better to buy
little OF the good and pure than great
deal of the cheap and adulterated; and
why Because the sduterated, beside
beng impure and it may be poisonou,ly
impure. has not the amount OF nutrition
AS the same quantity of pure. 1t may be
that the illicit ingredient may have the
power to destroy the nutritive properties
of the principle.
With such TODD. what must be the effect
upon the consumer Flour. sugar. sale
rstus. cream of tartar. &c. are adulter-
ated with rock of the gypsum kind It'll said !;
molssseS, sugarand syrup with glucose and
arsenic tea and coffee with arsenic and
vegetable substances of similar appear
ance spices and seasonngs With counter
and arsenic is healthful to men and
women is not yet decided. But it is
known that the causes of various diseases
are to be found in these ingredients of
adutoration. The physical degeneration
of our people is traceable to their food
and the present state of public health
throughout the country is alarming. If
statements made by eminent physicians
are to be believed, the amount OF suffering
now endured from causes which should
receive greater attention. is astonishing.
Some consideration as to the manner of
living should be had. but then, there would
remain the indisputable effect of adultera
tion upon health.
Though not strictly an adulteration yet
base and inhuman deception. neverthe-
less, is the swil milk of New York
The following is description of the milk
stables:
long trough runs the length Of
the hu ldngs aud in il the food
is put. In the trough there wss lot
of sour grain. None of the cows had been
out of the stable, for exercise for months.
The majority Of them were living on the floor
in filth. Some of the cows stood on tremb
ling legs and there was not q distinguishing
animsl in the whole lot. Not one was in a
condition to give milk fit tor use. Their
boots averaged from ten TO twelve inches 10
length and were turned up on the end like an
sores on their bodies and the hair had fallen
out leaving many bare spots. The lives of
these cows are short comparatively. They